Happy Birthday, Bubba Sparxxx!

Today, March 6, is the birthday of 41st birthday of southern rapper Bubba Sparxxx.

Born Warren Anderson Mathis, Bubba was raised in LaGrange, Georgia. He got his first taste of hip-hop through his neighbor, who introduced him to New York City rap mixtapes. His listening tastes started with 2 Live Crew, and eventually lead him to Outkast. He shined as a member of his high school football team as a teen, while rapping for fun on the side. A 1996 move to Athens, Ga. led to him meeting his future manager Bobby Stamps. This new partnership produced Bubba's first commercial album, Dark Days, Bright Nights.

The album's local success made enough noise that music mogul Jimmy Iovine took notice, resulting in him signing Sparxxx to a deal with Interscope Records. Soon after, Bubba started working with Timbaland and Organized Noize, resulting in a re-released version of Dark Days, Bright Nights with production from both. The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100; Bubba officially arrived. The single "Ugly," which featured a crazy Timbaland beat and a video that featured Bubba wrestling a pig, was one of the more unique introductions to the general public for a rapper.

The year 2004 saw Bubba signing a new deal with Virgin Records. In 2006, he released his album The Charm, taking Bubba's stardom to new heights. The third single, "Ms. New Booty," was a boisterous ode to women, and quickly caught fire on the radio. The track, which also featured Ying-Yang Twins and producer Mr. Collipark, was a perfect union of styles, with the unapologetically southern Bubba Sparxxx meeting the featured artists for a full-on foray into crunk. The song was certified gold, and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2016, Bubba Sparxxx got engaged to Katie Connors, a former Miss Iowa winner, and dropped his most recent work, The Bubba Mathis EP. He's still actively rapping, and performing at shows around the country.